BEYOND GUIDE
Reef Responsibility
Master Reef Guides Peter and Julia Farrell, are committed to delivering unforgettable experiences on the Great Barrier Reef. This is matched by their dedication to protecting it, a mission in which tourism plays a critical role.
WORDS Tess Durack
It was the sight of a small worm in the coral some 35 years ago that made Peter Farrell realise the Great Barrier Reef would be his life. “It was a Christmas tree worm, beautifully coloured and looking exactly like its name suggests. I saw it on one of my first dives from Cairns and thought ‘oh, this could be me’.”
Julia Farrell’s lifelong commitment to the reef was born of a similarly vivid experience around 30 years ago. “I’d wanted to see the reef since I watched Animal Magic on the BBC as a nine-year-old,” she remembers. During a five-week trip to Australia to realise that dream, she happened to book a tour on the boat on which Peter was an instructor and he took her out for her first dive. “I jumped in the water, and was blown away by the beauty,” she says..”
Master Reef Guides are recognised as the world’s leading reef guides, interpreters, and storytellers; sharing the wonders of the Great Barrier Reef. In 2000, Peter and Julia partnered with Cruise Whitsunday to do this, providing visitors to the Reef similarly life-changing experiences. “A trip is often the culmination of years of planning and dreaming, so we do everything we can to make the experience as wonderful as possible,” says Julia. And a big part of that is understanding the “why” of each customer’s trip. “Some people want to see a particular fish or share the experience with their children. For others, just putting their face in the water is huge. Planning a good day is as much about making people feel confident and safe as it is about getting geared up to get in the water.”
A life changing lesson on the reef for Julia and Peter
Incredible marine life you can find on the reef
“Of course, the reef faces serious challenges, but people won’t care if they keep hearing it’s too late. We can show them it’s not.”
Julia and Peter aboard Cruise Whistundays
While providing great experiences is essential to running a successful business, there’s more to it for Julia and Peter. “If people don’t feel connected to the reef, they won’t care about it. That thirty minutes of snorkeling or diving we do with them is how we can help them see the reef is worth protecting,” says Julia. “What human beings need more than anything is hope,” says Peter. “They need to believe there can be a good outcome or they just give up.” Knowing the reef is not beyond saving is critical to nurturing that hope. “There’s a lot of doom and gloom and inaccurate information out there. Of course, the reef faces serious challenges, but people won’t care if they keep hearing it’s too late. We can show them it’s not.”
“The best possible thing you can do for the reef is visit it,” Julia adds. This might seem a surprising response to those who assume they’d do more damage than good by visiting, but Julia and Peter are adamant and the reason for this is two-fold: the more people who experience the wonder of the reef, the more people will want to fight for its survival, and the more people who books tours to see the reef, the more money goes to the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority for research and conservation. “Without tourism, the reef has no income,” explains Peter. Tour operators like Cruise Whitsundays play a crucial role in the health of the reef.
“Because we’re out there every day, we’re often the first to detect when there is a change to the norm and report our findings to the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority,” says Julia. “In this way, tourism contributes directly to care of the reef.”
LEARN MORE
The Whitsundays and the Great Barrier Reef truly are one of the natural wonders of the world. As a leading tourism operator, it is our responsibility to set a standard for protecting this fragile environment. Click below to learn more about our environmental commitment to the World Heritage listed site.